State health officials say remnants from an old soda ash plant that operated decades ago are polluting groundwater under Hutchinson.
The plant, once known as The Hutchinson Chemical and Alkali Co., manufactured soda ash, the trade name for sodium carbonate.
Laura Price, an environmental scientist with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, says a plume of chloride-contaminated water is reaching at least two miles southeast from the plant.
She says the exact size and boundary of the plume is unclear.
The Hutchinson News reports that monitoring wells have been installed. Price says more investigation is needed before any action plan is determined.
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Information from: The Hutchinson News, http://www.hutchnews.com
